Songs and Fire
He was dying and he knew it. The pain of existence was slowly going away. He heard people going in and out of the room, but only as a distant sound. He heard her familiar voice, the daughter he raised was close at hand. He felt her nearby as he took a last breath. In moments, he opened his eyes again, expecting to see her standing above him, but what he saw instead was an old forest on land he remembered as a child. It was solidified in his mind as his place of peace, his home. No longer was his body slowed by a damaged heart, he got up and gave a nod knowing this was right, this is where he was meant to be. There were voices raised in song just over the ridge and he felt compelled to follow, knowing he needed to join their chorus. The old songs made him quicken his steps because he knew there would be food, drink and he knew his voice was needed. As he got closer to the crowd, he saw there was a familiar bon fire in the middle of them. He saw the crowns of flowers and oak adorning the